The Hindu : Galaxy of preceptors

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Nov 17, 2003

Miscellaneous

Miscellaneous - Religion

Galaxy of preceptors

CHENNAI NOV.17 . The relationship between a teacher and an aspirant to lasting happiness is a hallowed one and a very vital link in taking him forward towards spiritualism — both devotional and knowledge-based. The Vedas have been passed down the generations by the direct process of oral repetition along with one's mentor. Clothed in mysticism, the holy texts could be comprehended only with the help of the Acharya (preceptor). Often, hubs of religion, Srirangam, Azhwarthirunagari, Kanchi, to name a few, produced men of stellar quality creating a cascading effect ensuring literary and religious heritage. For Vaishnavites, the primary preceptor is doubtless Lord Narayana. From the great Nammazhwar downwards, the line becomes undeniably illustrious with luminaries like Nathamuni, Manakkal Nambi, Alavandar, Periya Nambi and the incomparable Ramanuja. Subsequently the tree of Acharya branches into two, that of Vedanta Desika and of Sri Manavala Mamunigal rising majestically from the ranks of the erudite. The latter, besides organising the conduct of worship in the Srirangam and other temples, also wrote Arthiprabandam, Yatiraja Vimsati, Upadesa Rathinamalai and Thiruvoimozhi Nootrandadi.

In his discourse tracing the Guru Parampara of Visishtadwaita, Sri Velukkudi Krishnan said that working within the confines of attendant secrecy, which did not permit the spread of knowledge beyond four ears (those of the student and the teacher), many of the scholar-saints nevertheless extended themselves in the service of God and humanity with many path-breaking initiatives. Often, these men carried the works in their minds.

The story of Nanjiyar is one example, where he bade Varada to scribe the former's voluminous commentary. Losing the original to a swift current in a stream the distraught disciple, encouraged by his wife, prayed to his mentor and was able to recall the text from memory, with better embellishments. Realising his pupil's worth the teacher embraced him hailing him as "Nampillai". On another occasion Nampillai's humility got him the sobriquet "Lokacharya". His student Thiruveedhipillai, a good scholar, sired two sons, Pillai Lokacharya and Azhagia Manavalan. It is said that if the first son's commentaries were like a bunch of grapes, the latter's work was like coconut milk— certain hard work was needed to cull the nuances.

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